It is generally known that in order to remove liquid from a container with a singular (i.e. common) inlet and outlet usually at the top, it is generally necessary to lift and tilt the container to dispense the liquid therefrom or to use some other type of pressurized pump arrangement to expel the liquid. Various types of pressurized container arrangements have been used, and typical prior art are discussed below.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,189,643 (Ward), 2,606,698 (Todd et al) and 3,348,565 (Turner) generally disclose the concept for providing a suitable stopper or closure for a container which includes a dispensing value and pressurized source associated therewith.
Prior art which typify the use of a flexible liner between a pressurized gas and the contents of a container includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,823,953 (McGeorge), 3,244,326 (Bull), 3,434,632 (Batrow) and 3,342,377 (Peredy).
Prior art patents which are illustrative of liquid transfer assemblies are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,724,535 (Day et al), 3,139,123 (Lisciani), 3,156,272 (Indrunas), 2,666,557 (Hester) and 3,963,063 (Pascarella). These generally show a variety of different fluid transfer couplings which employ venting and fluid transfer conduits. However, none are associated with a lined container. Day et al automatically fills smaller bottles including liquid and air passageways within a singular tube which is partitioned such that the liquid flows down through one passageway and the air is exhausted through the other during filling. In Lisciani volatile flammable liquid is transferred and the device includes a liquid inlet and vapor outlet with appropriate shut-off valves which are operable when the supply can is inverted. The Indrunas patent is designed for use in filling ketchup bottles and includes an air vent, while Hester discloses a whiskey dispenser wherein when the liquid reaches the air inlet the flow of further liquid into the container being filled ceases. Pascarella shows still another device for the transfer of a viscous liquid such as ketchup and mustard.
These prior art patents generally suffer from the disadvantages typical of the prior art in that they do not provide a readily quick and simple method for expelling liquids from a container without the need to lift, tilt or turn the container or to pump it out. The present invention also enables the liquid which is intended to be within the container to be maintained in its proper physical state, as well as suitable arrangement for the transfer of liquid into a container with minimum exposure to the surrounding air.